Internet Governance

Alun Cairns Excerpts

Wednesday 20th November 2013 Westminster Hall

[Alun Cairns (Vale of Glamorgan) (Con)]

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Dr McCrea—I think for the first time. A number of colleagues have remarked that this is a peculiar subject for debate and have asked me to clarify the debate’s purpose. I should make it clear that that group does not include the Minister, who has positioned himself as a driving influence on internet governance. He has attended the past three meetings of the Internet Governance Forum—an organisation that I will come to later in my remarks—where his contributions have been valued greatly, so demonstrating that the UK is a leading contributor to the development and evolution of the internet. Nevertheless, it is worth explaining why I have chosen this subject for debate and why it is so important to us all.

The internet is a tool that crosses all spheres of life. It is hard to believe that it is only 30 years old, and even younger to the mass population. At the outset, it was a network used by academics to connect research and academic institutions; now it is central to all personal and commercial activities in our lives. It allows better communication, permits transactions and can help to generate wealth and support freedom. It has been central to the overturning of Governments in the interests of democracy around the world, but has, sadly, facilitated the spread of terrorism at the same time. We must always be aware that it can be used for malevolent purposes.

The governance of such an instrument is obviously relevant to us all and any changes to that are a matter for us all to comment on. Child protection online has dominated the political agenda of late in the United Kingdom and is an obvious example of why internet governance is important and relevant to individuals, families and organisations. It is not a techie thing: its implications are far reaching. Trust and identity, security and cyber-security are just a few issues that show why Governments and individuals need to be equally interested in internet governance.

The internet’s roots in academia mean that its governance structure has simply evolved, and that evolution has generally taken place in the absence of Government interference, probably because it took Governments some time to understand the internet’s potential. If Governments had been more involved, the internet would have taken much longer to develop and would be less free, less innovative and less revolutionary—in every sense of the word. The freedom of the internet has led to its innovation. If Governments had been in control, we would not be where we are today and the world would, without question, be a different place.

In effect, the internet has developed according to what has been labelled a multi-stakeholder agenda: the private sector, civil society, academic groups, technical communities and the voluntary sector have all played their part, as well as Governments, with all stakeholders contributing on an equal footing. That situation gave rise to the Internet Governance Forum—an annual conference that stemmed from the United Nations world summit on the information society in 2005. Its purpose is to bring together a wide range of individuals and organisations to discuss internet governance issues. It recognises the need for partnership, consensus building and innovation to respond to improvements in technology, together with the new opportunities and challenges that those changes and improvements bring.

The Internet Governance Forum, or IGF, offers a neutral space. Although it does not result in a negotiated outcome, the organisations that it gathers together develop thinking that is implemented by the international multi-stakeholder community. The IGF provides an excellent framework for understanding internet issues, where difficult balances often need to be maintained. The UK has been at the forefront of parliamentary engagement with the issue, and MPs from around the world have played an active role in shaping discussions over the years. I would encourage continued participation.

I have had the privilege of attending two meetings of the Internet Governance Forum and draw Members’ attention to the relevant entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests. Nominet, the internet registry company that manages the .uk domain space, has sponsored MPs from all parties to attend over the past seven years, recognising the forum’s importance.

I pay tribute to Nominet’s role in the organisation itself. It plays a full part in developing thinking about internet governance and ensures that the UK’s interests are heard at the centre of the decision-making process. It is also worth noting that the United Kingdom Internet Governance Forum, or UK-IGF—the organisation that develops thinking on internet governance here in the UK—would not happen without Nominet’s support, so Nominet plays a much bigger part than simply managing the .uk domain registry.

The UK-IGF also takes a neutral position, allowing and encouraging all attendees to contribute freely and to develop independent thinking. I had the privilege of chairing this year’s meeting of the UK-IGF, which, among other issues, highlighted child protection, youth engagement and identity and trust. That event was central to the contributions made by UK representatives at the IGF. Attending the past two IGF meetings has given me an opportunity better to understand international influences and cultures and how they form part of the internet governance process.

For me, this year’s IGF was markedly different to the meeting a year earlier. Among the range of subjects under discussion, which included trust and identity, cyber-security, human rights and protection of children online, the structure and governance of the internet itself was dominant. That is why I wanted to secure today’s debate, to ensure that the issues that were considered there are on the record here in Parliament.

When I say, “The structure and governance of the internet,” I am referring to the calls by some Governments and some nations to have a greater say in how the internet is governed—perhaps, according to their agenda, I should say managed. Before I explain the risks that entails, it is worth commenting on the governance structure of the internet as it stands. The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, or ICANN, co-ordinates the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority, or IANA. IANA is the department of ICANN responsible for co-ordinating some of the key elements that keep the internet running smoothly. It allocates and maintains unique codes and numbering systems that are used in the technical standards that drive the internet and enable it to work. Although the internet is renowned for being a worldwide network that is free from central co-ordination, there is a technical need for some key parts of the internet to be globally co-ordinated; that co-ordination role is undertaken by IANA. ICANN performs the IANA functions under a US Government contract—a fact that is particularly relevant.

It is that relationship with the US Government that some organisations and nations are concerned about and are seeking to change. The fallout from the Edward Snowden revelations was a genuine concern to some at the IGF, but it is being used by others as an opportunity to gain stronger control of the internet. Some Governments are calling for changes to the way in which the internet is governed, potentially risking the freedoms that it has brought about, and using information shared by Edward Snowden as the reason—or should I say as the excuse?—to do so.

I believe that the internet must remain open with oversight that derives from the joint action of international organisations, industry and civil society, but I am concerned that other nations are calling for control that could limit the internet’s contents and, as a result, its potential for innovation, ingenuity and investment. Next April, the Brazilian Government are hosting a summit to consider the issue. It is not yet clear what the exact purpose of that summit is, but it is clear that some nations see it as a key step to increasing their power and influence, and that of Governments in general, over the internet.

If those Governments are successful, that will raise serious issues for us all. The great freedoms that have come from the internet as we know it may well be under threat. To give credit to the Minister and to the Foreign Office, the UK Government have already played a leading role in promoting internet freedoms. I refer to the positive response that I received from the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, my right hon. Friend the Member for Faversham and Mid Kent (Hugh Robertson) to a written parliamentary question:

“At the heart of the Government’s vision for the future of cyberspace is an open, borderless internet that benefits from collective oversight between Governments, international organisations, industry and civil society.”—[Official Report, 11 November 2013; Vol. 570, c. 447W.]

That is exactly what I want to support and underline. It is critical that no single body controls all the functions that govern the internet. That was set out by the UK Government in 2011, when the Foreign Secretary launched what has become known as the London process of international conferences on cyberspace.

It was good to see that the Government underscored their position again in South Korea earlier this year. The Government, working with other stakeholders including Nominet, Internet Society England, BT and Global Partners Digital, have an excellent track record in shaping the discussions, and I am sure that they will continue to take a leading role in preparation for the conference in Brazil and in discussions in the United Nations, where some Governments seek to establish intergovernmental control. The multi-stakeholder approach, as opposed to the multilateral approach that is urged on us by some people, must be preserved.

The Snowden case has led some nations to question the US Government’s relationship with the internet, but let us remember that they have an enviable reputation in defending human rights and freedom of expression that many who seek to influence the internet governance debate do not. We must recognise that the environment has changed, however, and bear that in mind in preparing for the forthcoming discussions at the International Telecommunications Union in Brazil and in the UN General Assembly.

We must continue to support ICANN, and we must maintain the integrity of the system, including the all-important IANA function. Without careful and accountable management of those critical operations, we put at risk the integrity of the internet and its ability to evolve and expand. ICANN must develop internationally, and it can only do so if we assure the accountability of the organisation. An important part of that is to ensure active, multi-stakeholder engagement in shaping the future development of the organisation. The IGF, which is central to that, must also evolve. It is the only UN-mandated forum that brings together the experts who shape and develop the internet with the policy makers, Governments, legislators and regulators.

I am pleased that the Government are taking this role seriously. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport, the Foreign Office and the Ministry of Defence are all taking the matter very seriously, because although some people may consider it to be a technical subject, it is relevant to us all.